U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday accused Iran's leadership of sending mixed signals over diplomacy, saying Tehran privately sought talks to end the war while publicly denying negotiations, as he reiterated that pressure on the country would continue unless it agreed to a deal or what he called "total surrender."
"Nothing gets through to Iran, unless we want it to, and nothing will get through, unless a Deal, or Total Surrender, is accomplished," he said in a post on Truth Social.
"Whether Iran wants to admit it or not, we are, in fact, talking of a solution to a problem that they have caused, for decades."
Trump also dismissed Iran's assertions that it controls the Strait of Hormuz, saying the strategic waterway was already under U.S. military control.
"They then go on to give their usual blather in saying, the Strait of Hormuz will be operated powerfully by them, when it is already completely controlled by the United States Navy and our 'Blockade,' or, as some say, 'The United States Wall of Steel!'" he said.
The president added that nothing would pass through to Iran unless the U.S. allowed it and said restrictions would remain in place until an agreement was reached or Tehran accepted what he called "total surrender."
"Whether Iran wants to admit it or not, we are, in fact, talking of a solution to a problem that they have caused, for decades. It is very simple, Iran will never have a nuclear weapon!" he said.
In recent weeks, the U.S. and Iran have exchanged military strikes, with Washington attacking targets inside Iran and Tehran responding by targeting what it described as US military facilities and equipment in several Arab countries, particularly Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait.
The escalation followed a memorandum of understanding signed by Washington and Tehran in June and the launch of negotiations toward a final agreement.
The talks later stalled over disagreements concerning security guarantees and freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most strategically important routes for energy supplies and global trade.
